Abstract
Emotional public reaction and media sensationalism resulting from inadequate waste disposal practices of the past have made hazardous waste one of the hottest political issues in the U.S.A. Everyone wants the hazardous waste problem solved, but no one wants a hazardous waste facility in their "backyard"—the NIMBY (not in my backyard) syndrome.
The State of Florida has taken a major step to try to reverse this attitude by educating the public as to what hazardous waste is and demonstrating that hazardous waste can be safely managed. The program, entitled Amnesty Days, was established by the Water Quality Assurance Act of 1983. The Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, working with a contractor, GSX Services, has established a system to collect hazardous waste from households and small businesses. The program is designed to bring a unique, fully-equipped mobile facility to various locations around the State. The program will reach every county over a three year period.
The two phases, conducted in May, June, October and November, 1984 was extremely successful with over 6400 participants bringing in almost 600,000 1b of a wide range of chemicals, including DDT and PCB. Florida officials hope that the success of Amnesty Days will raise the awareness of citizens and ease the task of siting permanent facilities to provide long-term solutions.
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